Journal box lid



2Af98p1584 Feb., 2l, i950 F. A. FREDERICK JOURNAL BOX LID Filed Nov. 27, 194e INVENTOR 4FRED A; FREDERICK ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOURNAL BOX LID Fred A. Frederick, Lansing, Mich., assigner to Motor Wheel Corporation, Lansing, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application November 27, 1946, Serial No. 712,675

7 Claims.

This invention relates to railway car journal boxes, and more particularly to hinged lids therefor.

Railway car journal vboxes are provided with lid assemblies which when opened permit access to the inside of the journal box and when closed serve to prevent the entrance of dirt and moisture. In a general way it can be said that there are two types of journal box in common use. In one type the journa1 box is packed with oil soaked Waste by which the journal is lubricated. In this type of journal box a large lid hinged directly to the journal box is provided.

In the other type of vjournal box oil is poured into the journal box to a level above the lower part of the journal. Such journal boxes are usually closed by a cover having a relatively small access opening above the lower part of the journal through which oil can be introduced. This cover is tightly and fixedly connected to the journal box. The access opening is closed by a hinged cap.

The present invention has for its principal object the provision of a novel form of journal box lid of the latter type which is particularly simple and economical to manufacture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a journal box lid assembly all of the principal parts of which can be pressed from sheet metal.

A still further object is to provide a journal box lid assembly of this character in which a cap for closing the access opening is mounted for limited universal movement on a pivoted lever which is held in either open or closed position by means of a spring.

These objects will more fully appear in the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a journal box and lid assembly embodying the invention; and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

In the drawings, the numeral Ill designates a journal box having a relatively large substantially rectangular access opening therein. On the opposite upright sides of the journal box are four sets of spaced apart ears II. the 'ears II are cast integral with the journal box.

The journal box lid assembly which closes the access opening in the journal box comprises in general a cover I2, a yoke I3, a lever I4 pivotally Preferably connected to the yoke, and a cap I5. A coiled 55 spring assembly I6 holds the lever I4 in either opened or closed position, as will more fully appear presently.

The cover I2 is a pressed sheet metal member of generally rectangular cross-section somewhat larger' than the wall of the journal box I Il dening the access opening. The cover is provided with an inturned peripheral flange I'I. Adjacent the lower portion of the cover is a relatively small circular access opening which is defined by a peripheral flange I8. The flange I8 is formed by piercing the meta1 of the cover and drawing the metal outwardly, as indicated in cross-section in Figure 2. Just above the iiange I8 a depression I9 to receive the spring assembly I 6 is provided. The cover is also furnished with ribs 20 which stiiien the relatively thin meta1 of the cover l2.

At points about the perimeter of the cover I2 which correspond with the pairs of ears I I, four lugs 2| are provided. The lugs 2| are apertured to receive bolts 22. By means of the bolts 22 and nuts 23 associated therewith the cover can be securely attached to the journal box I 0. The bolts 22 pass through the notches between the pairs of ears Il, as indicated in the drawings. A gasket 39 is interposed between the journal box I@ and cover I2 to prevent loss of lubricant from the journal box.

The yoke I3 is a pressed metal member of generally downwardly presenting U-shaped configuration, as indicated best in Figure 1. The side of the yoke I3 adjacent the cover is provided with a at laterally extending flange 24 which is securely attached to the cover by means of rivets 25. The legs of the yoke I3 at the side remote from the cover have apertures to receive a pivot pin 26 for a purpose which will presently appear.

The lever I4 is also pressed from sheet metal. It is of generally U-shaped cross-section with the base of the U located toward the cover I2. The sides of the lever have apertures therethrough which receive the pivot pin 26 so that the lever may pivot on the pin.

The end of the lever I4 adjacent the pin 2B is provided with a cam surface 27 of the cross- .sectional configuration shown in Figure 2. As

a position located centrally of the access Opening in the coverl I2 when the lever I4 is swung t0 the position shown in full lines in Figure 2, is

a spherical protuberance 3D. The protuberance extends toward the cover l2. An aperture is formed in the center of the protuberance 38.

The cap I5 is a circular sheet metal member provided with a peripheral flange 28 which surrounds the iiange I8 on the cover. In the center of the cap is a depression 29 of spherical coniiguration which receives the protuberance 3e on the lever Ill. The cap is apertured centrally of the depression 29 to receive a bolt 3i. 3l nts relatively loosely in the aperture in the lever and relatively snugly in the aperture in the cap I5.

A thin disk 32 of relatively resilient metal surrounds the bolt 3l and is clamped between a nut 33 on the bolt and the cap I5. The disk 32 serves the dual purpose of holding. a gasket 3e against the inside of the cap I5 and cooperating with the bolt 3| and nut 33 to resiliently press the cap i5 against the lever Ill.

vBy means of the connection between the lever Ill and the cap I5 a limited amount of universal movement between the cap and lever is permitted. The resilient disk 32 holds the two parts in snug frictional engagement, thus preventing excessive relative movement due to the jarring incident to travel, and thereby reducing wear of these parts.

The spring assembly I6 consists of two cupshaped sheet metal stampings 35 and 33 and a coiled spring 3l. The stamping 3E is located in the depression .I9 and riveted to the cover by a rivet S8. The stamping 36 telescopes within the stamping 35 and the two parts together house the spring 3l. The latter is a compression spring which tends to urge the stamping 36 out of the stamping 35 and against the upper cam shaped Yend'of the lever Ill.

The operation of the journal box lid is for the most part self-evident. When the parts are in the position shown in full lines in the drawings the spring 3l urges the stamping 36 against the cam surface on the lever I 4 in such a manner as to force the lever and its attached cap i5 to closed position. In this position the gasket 3e engages the axially outer edge of the flange I8 and the cap I5 and gasket 34 tightly close the access 'opening in the cover. The cap can move a limited amount relative to the lever I4 to compensate for irregularities in the flange l8 as well as for wear in the pin 26 and lever Ill.

When it is desired to lift the cap l5 from the flange i8, the lower end of the lever I4 is grasped and swung in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2-. to the dotted line position in that figure.

During this movement the cam surface rst compresses the coiled spring 3'! to a limited extent and then when the topmost portion oi thecam vsurface reaches a vertical position the spring 3l urges the stamping 3% against that surface with sufficient force to hold the lever and its associated I cap in its raised position. It is closed by pushing downwardly upon the lever Ill. and the spring 3'! holds it tightly in closed position.

u Due to the particular construction of the various parts, all of them can be fashioned `ars-sheet metal stampings. This is a marked improvement from the standpoint of economy over castings which yhave been utilized heretofore. The invention is simple and extremely rugged.

The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

41. A journal box lid assembly comprising a cover adapted to be xedly connected to a journal The bolt r,

box housing, said cover having an access opening therein, a lever pivotally connected intermediate its ends on said cover, said lever having a cam surface at one end thereof, a cap for said access opening connected to said lever between the other end of the latter and the pivotal axis thereof for limited rocking movement relative to said lever, and spring means mounted on said cover and positioned between said lever and said cover, said spring means engaging said cam surface and adapted to act against diiferent portions of the latter to selectively hold said lever and cap in open or closed positions.

2. A journal boX lid assembly as dened in claim l wherein said spring means includes a coiled compression spring and a housing therefor, said housing comprising a cup section iixed to said cover and a movable cup section in telescopic relation to said iixed section, said movable section engaging said cam surface.

3. A journal box lid assembly as dened in claim l wherein said cover is formed to provide a laterally extending flange about the periphery of said accessvopening, and said cap seats against said flange in the closed position of the cap.

4. A journal box lid assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said cap is connected to said lever for limited universal movement relative to the latter.

5. A journal box lid assembly comprising a stamped metal, cover adapted to be fixedly connected to a journal box housing, said cover having an access opening therein, a generally U-shaped stamped metal yokeiixedly connected to said cover at one side of said access opening, a stamped metal lever pivotally connected intermediate its ends to said yoke between the legs thereof and extending radially of said access opening, said lever having an integral cam surface at one end thereof, a stamped metal cap for said access opening connected to said lever between the other end of the latter and the pivotal axis of the lever for limited rocking movement relative to said lever, and spring means mounted on said' cover and positioned between said cam surface and said cover, said spring means and cam surface being positioned within said yoke which serves as a housing for said spring means and cam surface, said spring means engaging said cam surface and adapted to act against the latter to selectively hold said lever and cap in open er closed positions.

6. A journal box lid assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said cap is connected to said lever for limited universal movement relative thereto.

7. A journal box lid assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said lever extends a substantial distance beyond the side of said access opening opposite the pivotal connection or" the lever and forms a handle. i

FRED A. FREDERICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references iileof thispate'nt:

, UNITED STATES PATENTS Number are of record in the Date j 

